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Fields of Gold
}} }} "Fields of Gold" is a song written and recorded by Sting. It first appeared on his 1993 album Ten Summoner's Tales. The song was released as a single but only made it to number 16 on the UK Singles Chart and number 23 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. However, it did reach No. 2 in Canada and became one of Sting's most famous songs, with many musical artists covering the song. Eva Cassidy recorded a version that first appeared on her 1996 live album Live at Blues Alley and later on her 1998 album Songbird and her 2012 album The Best of Eva Cassidy. Cassidy's version charted in Sweden and the Netherlands in 2008 and 2013 respectively. British-Georgian singer Katie Melua also recorded a version that was released as the BBC Children in Need single for 2017; her version peaked at number 29 on the UK Singles Chart. Background "Fields of Gold" and all the other tracks on the album were recorded at Lake House, Wiltshire, mixed at The Townhouse Studio, London, England and mastered at Masterdisk, New York City. The harmonica solo is played by Brendan Power, and the Northumbrian smallpipes are played by Kathryn Tickell. The music video was directed by Kevin Godley. The cover of the single was photographed at Wardour Old Castle in Wiltshire, as was the cover for the album Ten Summoner's Tales. In Lyrics By Sting, the singer described the view from his 16th-century Wiltshire manor house: Music video The music video, directed by Godley & Creme, features a gold silhouette of Sting singing the song while walking through a dark village at night containing common features seen throughout the UK such as a red telephone box and a red pillar box. Scenes also feature Sting singing the song while bathed in blue and gold light. The silhouette of Sting is shown as such that the background inside him exactly matches the background of the surrounding village, only the version inside of him is bright and bustling with people, while the version outside is dark and dead. The video ends with the camera going into the silhouette and Sting's clothing disappearing, showing a final shot of the village at daylight and with various people. Release "Fields of Gold" was the second single released from the album after "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You". The single reached No. 16 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 23 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Canadian ''RPM'' Top Singles chart. It was also a hit in Germany, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and many other countries. The song was included in Sting's first compilations album issued under the title Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984–1994 and released in 1994 and in a later compilation The Very Best of Sting & The Police in 1997. It was re-recorded by Sting in 2006 as a bonus track for his classical album Songs from the Labyrinth, in which the song was accompanied entirely by a lute. In an interview at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts Paul McCartney stated that Fields of Gold was a song he'd wish he'd written himself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gxdrjRqcZQ Track listing UK 4-track CD single #"Fields of Gold" #"King of Pain" – Live #"Fragile" – Live #"Purple Haze" – Live Rare UK limited edition 4-track gatefold CD single #"Fields of Gold" #"Message in a Bottle" – Live #"Fortress Around Your Heart" – Live #"Roxanne" – Live Charts Weekly charts Sting version Eva Cassidy version Katie Melua version Year-end charts Sting version References External links *Second Hand Songs: "Fields of gold" song page * Category:1993 singles Category:2001 singles Category:2017 singles Category:Songs written by Sting (musician) Category:Sting (musician) songs Category:Song recordings produced by Hugh Padgham Category:Eva Cassidy songs Category:Michael Bolton songs Category:Cliff Richard songs Category:Katie Melua songs Category:1993 songs Category:A&M Records singles Category:Children in Need singles Category:Rock ballads